


Fever Dream

by BrigidTheFae



Series: Mating Season [3]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Inappropriate Humor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23555740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrigidTheFae/pseuds/BrigidTheFae
Summary: Four months have passed since Inuyasha got his act together. Naraku's gone. The jewel is gone. Things are supposed to be better, right? Maybe once the long list of things to do are crossed off. Inuyasha and Kagome a whole new mess of problems to deal with in the meantime. She wants to graduate. He wants...well, he wants a lot more than he's saying...
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Series: Mating Season [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723093
Comments: 97
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't expecting so many to enjoy Mating Fever, so suffice to say I *really* wasn't expecting the interest in a sequel. So here we go, it's starting!

" _I want to come out."_

"I said no."

" _Why not?"_

Inuyasha swore he could almost imagine the youkai side of him pouting if he thought hard enough. "The jewel's gone. Naraku's dead. There's no reason –"

" _But I want to come back ouuut!"_

" _You might as well let him,"_ the human side chimed in. _"It's been weeks since he saw any action –"_

" _It's been far longer since I've gotten any action I_ wanted _–"_

"Well tough shit cause you ain't comin' out!"

" _But I want to!"_

"And I said no!"

" _Human back me up."_

"Don't you dare help him –"

" _Cut him some slack. At least I get to come out once a month."_

" _Like a woman's cycle."_

" _You asked for help!"_

Inuyasha groaned out loud. "I can't believe I'm arguing with myself. Again."

" _If you'd just let me out this wouldn't be an issue."_

The hanyou let out a growl of frustration as he returned to work. The weather was still warm enough to not slow his progress, but it wouldn't be much longer before he would be on his own. He wasn't about to drag out the villagers in the cooler weather to help him build a hut in the forest. They had their own families to care for and to prepare for the winter to come. If he could just get the framework for the hut finished, he'd have no problem working on the rest by himself.

Four months. In four months he had gotten Kagome as his mate, found the remaining shards, and put an end to Naraku. The jewel was gone, and everyone was all the better for it.

"Do you believe that the village would shun you after everything you have done, Inuyasha? That you should build your home in its outskirts?"

Well, almost everyone was the better for it.

"How did you know I'd be out here, Kikyo?"

The priestess hadn't vanished with the jewel, as she had expected. She had accepted her fate months ago, prepared to return to the afterlife and an eternity of peace. It had been a tough pill for Inuyasha to swallow when she confronted him with her final goodbye. Even though his heart was now Kagome's, there was an ache there at losing a friend. Kikyo hadn't made it through the battle unscathed, much like the rest of their group, but she hadn't expected to heal. Kagome hadn't done it – she swore up and down she hadn't – and she had been just as drained as the rest of them, so there was no possible way she could have. It didn't make any sense. Kikyo was a shell of her former self, or so she had thought.

She hadn't taken it well when Inuyasha declared that she was approaching her monthly cycle two weeks later, forgetting who he had been addressing. He couldn't blame Kagome for using the beads for that one, but to be fair, he was so used to Kagome's time period being more open to discussions that it had slipped his mind. Once she had gotten past the embarrassment of something private being blurted out, Kikyo had cried. The tears fell harder when Kagome checked her over and declared that yes, she was very much alive. Somehow, someway the young woman had gotten another chance at life.

Kikyo adjusted the basket that she carried on her hip. "I was collecting herbs with my sister and she mentioned that you were working out here again. You didn't answer my question, Inuyasha."

The hanyou shrugged, rolling his stiff shoulders. "They say it's my forest, so why not?"

"And you believe me to accept that answer? Kaede has sung praises about you, you know. The villagers are content with your presence."

"Keh."

"I'm waiting, Inuyasha."

He frowned, tucking his hands in his sleeves. "It ain't… it ain't so much the villagers that made the decision. I chose this spot for Kagome." When Kikyo continued to stare, he rolled his eyes. "It's not far from the Bone Eater's well, if you hadn't noticed. Kagome won't have to go as far to get to the well as she would from the village to see her family. And…if the well were to stop working…she'd still be nearby."

Kikyo noticed how the hanyou's shoulders slumped but didn't comment. She'd had the last four months to get caught up on all of the things to do with Kagome that she had overlooked, and how the well came to be more important to Inuyasha than the jewel ever had. It was…awkward to be around the girl from the future, considering how she had treated Kagome each time. Sango had explained that she had been reluctant to befriend the others when she had first met them, but Kagome had a way of drawing people in. Kikyo had learned quickly what the slayer had meant. She couldn't say that she was a good friend, because she felt strange enough even referring to the girl as a friend.

"Can I ask why you are building this hut so tall, then?"

Inuyasha wasn't sure if he could tell her that the plan for the hut was to recreate her childhood home at the shrine as close as feasible for him. That one day, the house Kagome would grow up in could be built in the same area as the one he was building for their future family. If that even made sense. The more he thought about it the more confusing it became, so it was better to just not think about it. "Kagome's home in the future is big," he said simply. "I don't want her to have to settle for less. She's giving up so many things by living in this time, and I want to do everything I can to take care of her."

Kikyo nodded, and he took that to mean she was pleased with his response. "How come you are not with Kagome in her time? It is getting late in the day, after all."

He turned and started back through the forest. When Kikyo didn't move to follow, he asked, "Well come on. I ain't about to let ya walk back on your own!"

She let out a small laugh, something she would never have done before, and caught up to Inuyasha's pace. "You have changed indeed," she smiled. "I remember there was a time when you would have shadowed me when I traveled, and now you walk beside me."

"You're still my friend, Kikyo. And if I recall back then you were the one that said that you didn't require an escort!"

"You were the one that claimed to not need anyone," she countered with a larger smile. "And now look at you. You have a wife, many friends, and the makings of a home to begin a family."

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure he felt right about where this conversation was going. "Feh. That ain't gonna happen for a while now. Kagome has her school-thing she needs to complete, and that's months away from ending. I won't force her to carry my pups while she has that to deal with. What about you? You know you can have these things too, Kikyo."

Kikyo shrugged lightly. "That is true. I think that it might be best if I become acquainted with having a living body again first, however. When that witch brought me back…" she couldn't finish the sentence. She had been so angry, being pulled from an eternal rest and thrown into a clay shell that resembled her body and having been done so under the work of someone filled with hatred. It was no surprise that when she encountered the reincarnation that held _her_ soul, she'd done what she had. But it wasn't _her_ soul, really. Not anymore. Kikyo could see traces of herself in some of Kagome's mannerisms, but they were brief and very fleeting. Now Kikyo had her own soul, and perhaps a small part of that contained a glimmer of Kagome in return.

He stopped walking when the village came into view. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked softly. "I know things are strange now, but I really don't want to lose you as a friend because Kagome –" Inuyasha knew the older woman didn't like his mate. It wasn't hard to tell, no matter how much Kagome tried to change her mind, he wasn't sure they'd ever have a friendship like she and Sango did.

"I once asked Kagome if you were happy, back when you both had become bound. She told me that you were. That is all I can ask for Inuyasha. To know that you are happy at last." Kikyo gripped the basket a little harder and took a breath. This was something she'd been holding in for four months, and it had to be said. "I wish that I could have been the one to make you that happy, but I see the both of you together and it's clear that you wouldn't have been. You both compliment the other in a way that we could not have, and as strange as it is to say, I think we may be too much alike –"

"T-too much alike?! How in the fu –"

Kikyo laughed at his outburst, letting go of the basket with one hand to shake a finger at him for nearly swearing. Oh, she'd heard quite the variety of words in the last four months; it was more teasing than actually reprimanding him. She'd been around him too often, for she nearly let out one when she accidentally cut her finger two days ago. Kaede was still laughing about that one. "As I was saying," she continued, "I'm…trying to form a decent relationship with Kagome. It isn't easy for me, because I can't forget the things I've done, but she is persistent. It will take time."

Inuyasha snorted. "I hate to break it to you, but she's not gonna rest until you accept it. You gonna be alright?" he asked, nodding towards the dirt path that led into the heart of the village.

"I'll be fine, Inuyasha," Kikyo smiled. "It's getting late. Kagome will be waiting for you."

"Yeah… there's something she wants me to do today," he mumbled. "I'll see you later, if not tomorrow." He turned and took off into the forest again, heading straight for the well. Kagome was expecting him for something important, and he had to time his departure just right. As stressed as she was with her schoolwork, he wasn't about to fuck this up.

* * *

"What's this big surprise, Kagome?"

"You said that you'd tell us when we got back to your house!"

"Why are you leading us to the sacred tree?"

Kagome bit her lip and exhaled through her nose. This had been something she had been contemplating for the longest time, and since she and Inuyasha were bound now, there was going to come a time when her friends would need to know. Obviously they would all go their separate ways when the school year was over, as one tends to do when graduating high school. The thought of her friends never knowing the truth however, bothered her. If by some chance she could never travel back to the present, she didn't want to put her family in the position of coming up with lies to her friends if they crossed paths. She had discussed it at length with Inuyasha and her family, and it was decided that the girls should be let in on the secret.

She turned, motioning for them to sit on the bench in front of the tree. "You know that bald patch on Goshinboku, where the bark never grew over? Do you remember Grandpa telling us about the legend of a youkai that had been sealed to the tree?"

Eri frowned. "Yeah, but it's just one of your grandpa's shrine stories. Why bring that up?"

"Because it's not just a shrine story. It actually happened."

Ayumi turned to study the tree. "So youkai once existed?"

"You can't honestly believe that," Yuka said to the girl.

"How can you be sure that was even real?" Eri asked, "He said that was _centuries_ ago. There are hardly any recorded notes from that time. I can't imagine that there'd be any on _youkai_ of all things."

Kagome knew that of the three, Ayumi would be the easiest to convince. Eri and Yuka were too analytical to suspend their belief of needing concrete evidence to support a statement. She sighed. "You're gonna call me crazy, but I can tell you that the story is very much real." She didn't give them a chance to respond before diving right into the story that started nearly three years ago. How she was pulled into the Bone-eater's well by Mistress Centipede to being accosted by the villagers and unleashing Inuyasha from Goshinboku. She told them about the jewel of four souls, pausing to show the scar from where it was ripped from her side, and how she accidentally shattered the pieces across feudal Japan. She told them about Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara – from how they met during their travels – and how Naraku had affected each of their lives. She told them why Inuyasha had been pinned to Goshinboku for fifty years, about Kikyo, and how she had been revived. Kagome didn't hold back as she explained that all of her "sick days" were really coverups for her traveling five centuries into the past to stop an evil being from taking over pretty much everything. She chose to omit the part four months ago where Inuyasha split, as it wasn't necessary to the overall story. That would come soon enough.

Her friends had been quiet the entire time, and from the expressions on their faces Kagome wasn't sure if they were completely behind what she told them. Even Ayumi looked like she was having trouble digesting the story of a magical well.

"Alright," Kagome began gesturing towards the well house. "I know it's farfetched, and yeah it definitely sounds crazy, but come with me. I can prove that it's real."

As they reached the well house, Kagome didn't stop to watch their expressions as she went down the steps and waited by the well. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi followed, looking closely at the well to see if there were anything that could show that it was a portal. To each of them, it looked like a standard old-world well that had dried up. The wood that framed the edge had been well cared for, perhaps even replaced not long ago, but there was nothing that backed up Kagome's claims.

And then a bright purple light filled the bottom of the well.

To their credit, they didn't scream.

When Inuyasha appeared in the bottom of the well, however, the words "YOU!" echoed within the wellhouse in such a shrill tone that even Kagome was covering her ears.

"Oi! What the fuck's with the yelling!"

"You're Kagome's boyfriend!" Yuka gasped, putting the pieces together. "You're a youkai!"

Inuyasha leapt up onto the edge of the well and stepped off. "Hanyou," he corrected, rubbing his ears. "I'm half human, too."

"Is that why you were wearing that bandana when we met that time? To hide your ears?" Eri asked.

"Yeah," his eyes narrowed, almost expecting one of the girls to reach towards him. "And yeah, they're real. No, you ain't touchin' 'em."

Ayumi stepped from around Yuka, who had backed into her when the lightshow started. "You get that a lot?"

Kagome reached up and gently rubbed an ear. "They're just delicate," she explained when it was apparent that Inuyasha wouldn't. "People see them and they think they're a trick of the imagination, so they yank on them without thinking that they're very real." She stood on her toes, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "So do you girls believe me now? The well is a portal, like I said. Just like the rest of the story happened."

Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. "You told them everything? So they know we're married, then?"

"YOU'RE MARRIED?!" the three shrieked. "I was waiting to tell them when you got here…" Kagome mumbled. She turned to her friends and tried to put on a brave face, but the barrage of questions were already making her feel guilty.

"WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US SOONER?"

"WAS THERE A WEDDING?"

"HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US, KAGOME? THIS IS BIG!"

"Guys," she held her hands up, trying to stall their questions. "Yes, we're married. Or soul bound, according to inuyoukai traditions, anyway. There hasn't been a wedding…yet. That's why I wanted to tell you girls the truth. I want you to be there for the wedding."


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome climbed out of the well, feeling a wave of nostalgia hit her as she swung the big backpack over her shoulders. Four months ago she would have thought it to be surreal to come to the feudal era and _not_ be loaded down with a multitude of first aid materials and quick-fix meals for their travels. Now instead her bag was filled with modern snacks, assorted trinkets, and items that she had wanted to show to her friends, as well as things she had picked out for them "just because".

Sometimes it was a piece of clothing. Sometimes it was a scented bath product. Sometimes it was even little novelty toys that were a dime a dozen in her time and vastly overlooked. But to those in her close circle, they were fascinating. Even Kikyo was drawn to the things she presented, and the young woman had outright said that she had no desire to learn about the goings-on of the future. On multiple occasions.

Kagome was determined to make Kikyo feel like she belonged, no matter how much the woman resisted. In her mind they were halfway there with the same end goals in mind – get rid of Naraku and the jewel – both taken care of. Now she just had to make her see that she didn't have to repeat her former life if she wasn't happy. Kaede still maintained the position as the head priestess and would train Kagome as her schedule allowed. No one expected Kikyo to pick up her duties once more, especially with the very mention any light left her eyes. Kaede had caught on that her sister was not truly happy when she was entrusted with the jewel.

" _You should see this second chance as a gift," Kaede told her sister. "You can live out your days as an ordinary woman, the way you saw the others do so when you were bound to responsibility."_

" _And what could I do? I am too old to be seen as a suitable bride. I have no skills that would be beneficial as a housewife."_

_Kagome hadn't been able to hold her tongue. "You don't look any older than me or Sango. If it's having a child that you're worried about, you have years before you have to worry about not being able to conceive."_

" _I was raised to exterminate youkai, and I only know a little about housekeeping," Sango offered. "I only know that because my mother had passed on, and I needed to care for my father and brother. Miroku asked for my hand knowing all this, and it doesn't mean that he loves me any less."_

" _See, there you go! When the right person comes along, it doesn't matter if you're not as knowledgeable about some things, because they're going to want to be with you all the same. No one has to know everything before they settle down. We're always going to be learning."_

_Kagome was immensely grateful that the guys weren't hovering nearby; they'd taken to the next village over to handle a youkai that was causing some mild mayhem. It was one of the few times right after the final battle that they got to talk like this. She could see Kikyo mulling over the things she had been told. Her heart went out to the woman. Kikyo had no clue how to function now; before her death, her life was tied to the jewel. When she was brought back, it was still tied to the jewel. It was no wonder she was shaken by the idea of having a normal life – she had no idea what a normal life could be._

_Kaede busied herself preparing cups of tea. "There is nothing to say that you have to give up your previous life either," she added. "If you wish to resume your duties as a priestess, no one will object –"_

" _Are you not training Kagome? I would think having three priestesses in the village would be too many –" Kikyo caught herself, realizing how bitter that sounded. She cleared her throat and explained. "I do not intend to offend you, Kagome. I simply think that my presence might be unnecessary."_

_Kagome waved off her apology. She understood, and it wasn't the worst thing Kikyo had ever said anyway. "I'll be an apprentice for a while, Kikyo. It wouldn't bother me if you wanted to step in whenever."_

" _And there's always services as a healer," Sango pointed out. "You could continue to help people from time to time and not feel like you're tied to being a priestess if you want to form a new identity."_

* * *

Two weeks ago she had told Inuyasha that she was trying to form some sort of friendship with Kagome. As much as she hated to admit it, she actually looked forward to the future-born miko's visits. When she wasn't being told about things from the future, she was hearing a variety of stories about the groups' travels. Kagome had a way about making her feel like she _belonged_ there. And if she wasn't doing it with the way she treated her, it was in the small tokens she was gifted with. As soon as Kikyo had made it known that she wanted to be treated as a normal woman, Kagome had been relentless.

First it had been small things. A set of hair combs. Lip color. Polished stone beaded bracelets. She'd even been given some scented bathing soaps. And then… then Kagome was bringing her _clothes_. She also brought these things for Sango, but that was _expected_. Sango was her best friend. She was the girl's predecessor that tried to kill her.

" _You said that you wanted to be an ordinary woman, right?" Kagome asked, moments after the first time she'd gifted them with an outfit. Kikyo had tried to turn down the offering, but Kagome wasn't having it. "I can't bring either of you to my time, so I wanted to bring some of my time to you."_

In a roundabout way, Kagome had told her that day that she was one of their group, and nothing she could say would change it. Everything that happened before was water under the bridge to her. How she could be so forgiving was beyond Kikyo's understanding. It was just… inconceivable.

Yet as she watched Kagome's cheerful façade fall away when Sango asked how she was, Kikyo felt an overwhelming urge to come to her defense.

Shit. Kagome really _had_ become her friend. When the hell did this happen?

"Has Inuyasha done something to upset you?" Sango frowned.

Kagome shook her head. "No. That's the problem." She shook her head again and both women heard the distinct sound of sniffling. "Sorry…"

"I don't understand. I thought both of you were happy?" Kikyo's grip on her cup tightened when the woman across from her looked up. Kagome's bottom lip trembled as the tears she was fighting off rolled down her cheeks. What had that hanyou done?

"We are," she started to say. "I think? I… I don't know what's happened. In the last month especially… we haven't… we haven't…" Kagome's face burned as she mumbled just loud enough for them to hear, "…been intimate."

Sango chewed her lip in thought. "Well," she reasoned, "things have been busy lately?" It would be understandable considering how there had been the final battle with Naraku, her return to her schooling in the future, the hut he had been building –

Kagome shook her head harder this time. "Even with all that, we still _found_ time to do…things." She wasn't about to elaborate on what they did. "But all of a sudden it's like Inuyasha doesn't want to touch me. He pulled this same stunt before when he split, but I don't understand why he's doing it now!" Kagome's tears had turned into choked sobs as the dam opened up. "Whenever I've tried to kiss him, he pulls away! He won't even tell me why! I don't even know what I did wrong!"

The slayer moved over to comfort the sobbing woman, and it was taking everything Kikyo had not to throw the cup in her hands. She'd heard from Sango about how it had hurt Kagome each time Inuyasha came to see her. At first, she had been indifferent. Why should it have mattered to her? She had one goal in mind at the time, and the feelings of some girl were at the bottom of her list of concerns. Now… now she found that she couldn't handle the sound of Kagome falling apart. It tore at her, made her angry. "You have done nothing wrong, Kagome," she stated firmly. "Clearly it is Inuyasha at fault."

"Maybe." Sango hummed, rubbing Kagome's back gently. She knew good and well that the hanyou was to blame, just as Kikyo said, but she also knew that he had to have a good reason. Call it a fool's hope, and she was reaching for anything to not paint the guy in a bad light. As upset as Kagome was, she wouldn't want that. "Maybe he's just… got his mind elsewhere? Miroku said that he's trying to get the framework for the hut done before it gets too cold to ask for assistance. Inuyasha could be stressed about that. He wants it to be nice, and I can't blame him for that. It's probably the first real home he's had since before his mother died."

Kagome sniffed again, wiping her eyes. "I've asked him if I could help – I mean it's _our home_ – but he says no!" Her voice hardened as her mood turned to pure anger. Everything was coming out it seemed. "He won't even tell me where the hut _is_! Tells me not to come looking for him if he's not in the village. I mean, can you _believe_ that?!"

Kikyo had to admit that it was better to hear her get angry than to cry. She stood and collected the necessary herbs for a headache remedy. Once Kagome calmed down, she would have one hell of a stress-induced headache. It also gave her something to focus on until _she_ got her temper under control, because at the moment she was sorely tempted to find a way to hex his hide.

* * *

"INU- _YASHA_!"

The hanyou nearly dropped the cut tree he was holding. The last time he'd heard his name shouted in _that_ tone, he'd been sealed to Goshinboku for fifty years. He turned to the sound as Kikyo emerged in the clearing. Well, he'd seen _that_ look way back when. Even the youkai side of him got tense. Fuck – she hadn't gotten this mad when he said she was due to bleed that first time! What the hell was going on? He set the tree down and crossed his arms. No matter what, he wouldn't run. He was a powerful youkai. He wouldn't let a reborn priestess intimidate him.

"What?" And judging by the way his voice wavered, the man in him recognized that he'd fucked up somehow.

"How dare you!"

"How dare I what?!"

Kikyo's eyes narrowed more as she studied him. "You are unbelievable!" she hissed. "Kagome was inconsolable because of you, and you stand there and act as though you know nothing –"

"I really _don't_!" Inuyasha insisted. "What's wrong with Kagome? Is she hurt?"

"She thinks that you're displeased with her you – you – _you ass_!" She started towards him, with each step she took forward, Inuyasha took one back. Kikyo didn't stop until his legs hit the side of the hut and he dropped between the wall supports that connected to its foundation. "Kagome told us of how you turn her away when she wants to give you affection! She told us through tears that she thinks she's done something wrong!"

"Wha- She ain't done nothing!" He bit back.

"Then why was she crying, Inuyasha!"

"Because it's me!" He yelled, flinching when Kikyo took a step back. For so long he was used to being himself around Kagome, that he didn't think about it anymore. Kikyo was still trying to acclimate to how he actually was and snapping at her didn't help matters. When he next spoke, it was softer. "I… I'm worried – hell, scared's more like it – that I'll get Kagome pupped before she's ready, okay?"

"This is why you've been avoiding her."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Kagome says that that medicine she takes is supposed to make that not happen. I'm a hanyou, and not a weak one either. How can I be sure that medicine will work? I…I want to do things right. I didn't get a normal life growing up, but I want to make sure that my pup does."

Kikyo sighed as his ears drooped. Her anger was steadily waning, dammit. She had a good mad worked up, and he was buckling in front of her. "So this is the real reason for your haste in building your hut." She moved to sit on the edge of the foundation in the empty space next to him. "Why haven't you told Kagome this?"

"She'd tell me that I was worrying over nothing."

"Kagome thinks that she's upset you somehow, since you turn away from her," Kikyo continued. "And from the sounds of things, this fear you have had to have come about suddenly. The way she spoke, you found ways of attending to each other's needs."

Inuyasha's face burned bright. "Tell me she didn't tell you everything."

She laughed. "No, but she didn't need to." Kikyo frowned again, looking out into the woods. "Kagome is hurting, Inuyasha. You need to speak with her. Tell her than you have concerns –"

"Tell her what? That I'm scared her modern herbs won't keep her from getting pupped before she finishes her school?"

"She needs to know –"

"Keh! You don't know how much that future world would shame her if she were with child right now, Kikyo. Kagome said that it would dishonor her family if she got pupped before she finished. Said that girls who did were looked down on. Called things. I don't want that for her."

Kikyo sighed again, reaching around the wall support and patting his hand. "You truly think that hiding from your wife is going to make it better?"

He shrugged. "Thought if I got the house built, at least we'd have that going for us. I don't have a lot to offer, so I want the house to be perfect for Kagome."

"Inuyasha, sometimes I really can't believe you."

"What?"

"Kagome doesn't want a palace. She wants a _home_. With _you_. Now you need to tell her the real reason for your actions as of late."

The hanyou sighed. "I will." When Kikyo gave him a skeptical look, he repeated himself with force. "Geez, when did you become an advocate for Kagome?"

She stood, stretching her back. "Since Kagome became my friend," she spoked pointedly. "I walked her back to the well before I came here to see you. Kagome said that she had tasks she needed to complete before tomorrow, so I walked with her because she was exhausted after her emotional upheaval. I am going to return the village. Kaede will have the midday meal prepared soon. Do you intend to return to Kagome's time, or will you join us?"

From the incomprehensible mumbling coming from the hanyou, Kikyo took it to mean that Inuyasha would most likely continue to work through lunch. She turned and walked back towards the village, not feeling at all accomplished. At best she had gotten him to say why he was avoiding his wife's attentions. _'Such an insufferable ass,'_ she thought. _'I can't even say that it is the youkai in him that causes it either.'_


	3. Chapter 3

" _I can't believe I'm going to say this, but the miko was right Hanyou."_

"Shut it, Youkai." Inuyasha growled, throwing another cut tree into the pile. He had more than enough to cut down into planks, but his irritation from his talk earlier with Kikyo had him ripping a few extra trees down once she'd left. He had no right to be, he knew this. But she also didn't understand! Youkai in general were supposedly more virile, and with his being a hanyou, that shouldn't have been something he'd had to worry as much about. In fact, things had been going well with them, up until a month ago. Up until a month ago he'd been assured that the medicine that Kagome had been taking was enough. And then…he'd gotten an unwelcome visitor in the form of a flea.

Myoga had decided that since the battle was over and there was no longer a threat, he appeared in the village once more. One taste of Inuyasha's blood was enough to tell that he and Kagome had marked each other, and the flea was naturally ecstatic.

" _It has happened! You've bonded yourself to the lady Kagome, I see! This is wonderful news, my lord!" The flea had paused, before asking, "Might I inquire as to when we will be graced with children?"_

" _The fuck you talking about?" he'd frowned, pinching the flea between his fingers. "Kagome ain't getting pupped anytime soon, Myoga. She has herbs to prevent that –"_

_Myoga looked concerned. "Are you sure, master? How can you be positive that these herbs will prevent her from bearing your children?"_

" _They're made especially for this," his eyes narrowed. "There something you're not telling me?"_

" _Only that as the son of the great daiyoukai, you are still a powerful youkai, even as a hanyou."_

As Myoga had rambled on about how Inuyasha carried more than just his father's bloodline, the hanyou had wished that he'd smacked his neck a little harder. The one-sided talk had slid into territory that he could have gone a lifetime without knowing about various inuyoukai sexual exploits, and more importantly anything having to do with his old man and his mother….just _no_.

He thought that going through the well would help. Maybe get some perspective from others in the time where these herbs were created. Naturally he picked his chance while Kagome was at school. He'd sought out Mama first, but had only found Grandpa the one day he got up the courage to talk about this matter. It had been more than awkward, asking the old man what he knew about the medicine his granddaughter was taking without blatantly saying that they were fucking like rabbits in heat. Or, they _had_ been. That talk with Myoga had made him wary.

Hearing the old man explain that while the birth control had it's strengths, nothing could prevent an unplanned pregnancy better than abstinence. At least he'd had the decency to not give the hanyou a disapproving look as he spoke. If he knew, he didn't let on.

With that, he'd stopped initiating _any_ intimate contact with Kagome. If he'd so much as gotten her a tiny bit aroused, her scent would've driven him mad. As much as it sucked – and gave him a case of blue balls – he resisted. Anything that he might've done in the past that could've led to them naked and panting, he'd stopped. Of course, this meant that Kagome caught on to him, and took it to mean he was playing hard to get.

That couldn't be further from the truth. Hard, yes. Fuck – he'd offer himself up naked on a platter if he knew that she wouldn't get pupped before they were ready.

Kikyo didn't know how much it ate at him to turn Kagome down each time she tried to initiate anything. He had to keep to his word. She would not be pupped early because he had no control. Yet knowing how much it was hurting her gutted him. Even without their link he could scent her disappointment, but thinking that she was undesirable? That she'd done something to warrant him avoiding her?

Inuyasha let out a roar and split the log in his hands in half. He was damned either way!

" _You could just tell her the truth,"_ his human side pointed out.

" _Again, I can't believe I'm saying this – again, but I agree with the human."_

"Will you two shut the fuck up! I ain't telling Kagome anything -!" Inuyasha dropped the split log, grabbing his head. Where had that wave of dizziness come from? He shook his head, hoping that would clear it and reached for the next log. "She'll have finished school soon enough, and it won't matter then."

There was silence and for once he thought he'd gotten through to his two sides. Inuyasha split the log and dropped it into the pile, reaching for the next. His hand faltered as he grabbed the next log, and shook his head again. The hell was going on with him today? Did Kikyo's berating him somehow knock him senseless? Or was something wrong with Kagome? Other than upset with him, he hadn't noticed anything else amiss in their link. He tried to shake it off and focus. There was work to be done, and he was going to take advantage of the silence.

Too bad it was a short-lived reprieve.

" _Kagome needs to know –"_

" _Our mate deserves to know –"_

" _If you keep avoiding her what's she going to think?"_

" _I know good and well what she'll think. She'll think that we've made a choice we regret, and that's – not – fucking – true –"_

" _You know we're right, Hanyou –"_

" _And we ain't standing for this –"_

Inuyasha yelped as a sharp pain echoed through his head. It felt like he'd been impaled with a sword. On instinct, he reached behind his head to feel for anything that might've caused it, only to come up empty. It had to have come from within, just like the dizziness that was running up on him again. His vision blurred, and the feeling of bile rising up in his throat on top of that had him hitting his knees. He couldn't see, couldn't bear to think, and now he felt like he was going to vomit…what, exactly? He hadn't eaten since the night before. The pounding was getting worse, and he could swear he heard his heartbeat in his ears clear as day.

' _What's going on?'_ he thought weakly. His body shook as he tried to get to his feet, only to collapse across the soft grass next to the home he'd been building. _'K…Kagome…'_ He needed to find her. Apologize. Make it up to her. His stubbornness was even starting to consider telling her the truth, because _something_ was wrong.

He had to get up.

He had to get to the well.

His world went dark as the last of his strength left his body, falling face first into the grass.

* * *

Kikyo gripped the handle of the basket with more force than necessary as she trekked outside the village. The hanyou hadn't returned for lunch with the group, and she knew good and well that he wasn't five hundred years into the future. He was going out of his way to avoid Kagome if he could help it, and now that she knew why, she was conflicted in just how mad she should be at him. Inuyasha was scared. He had every reason to be, because he didn't know a lot of what he should have been taught growing up. However, she'd comforted Kagome on that walk back to the well, listening to the girl apologize for sobbing on her shoulder and asking why Inuyasha didn't want her. The defeat in her voice…it had infuriated Kikyo, because this was not someone who gave up easily.

Yes, she was still very mad at Inuyasha. Even with his excuse, the anger was swallowing the sympathy with each step she took towards the hut in progress. Her gut instinct began to warn her that things were not as she left them hours before. The hairs on her arms stood as she got closer to the cleared area.

Something wasn't right. It was too quiet.

She should have heard grunts of swearing, at the very least the sound of construction underway. Silence was more than concerning. "Inuyasha?" she called out, only to receive nothing in response.

Her hand tightened around the handle as she picked up the pace. Kikyo called out again, trying not to let her thoughts get ahead of her. He was alright. He had to be. He was only ignoring her calls because he was still irritated with her. If something had happened, she was sure that Kagome would've come back through the well. But the closer she got, the more panic began to cloud her judgement and overwhelm her thoughts.

When she next called out his name, it was nearly a scream. " _Inuyasha!_ "

Finally – _finally_ – she heard his voice, and from the distant tone it sounded like he was on the other side of the hut.

"The hell you screaming about?"

Kikyo's lips pressed together. What was that trick Kagome taught her? Deep breaths and counting to ten? Each step she took through the clearing, she lost her ability to make it past four. Slow steps turned into brisk walking and she was about to let him have it for scaring the hell out of her. "Me?" she nearly-yelled as she got closer to the hut, "You have the audacity to beguile me for being concerned?! You are an inconceivable piece of work Inuyasha! So help me when I get ahold of you I will –"

As soon as Kikyo turned the corner of the hut she did scream, much to the displeasure of the hanyou's ears. And the…youkai's. The human didn't flinch but he couldn't have appreciated the shrill sound either.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"

"I can explain," the hanyou started.

"WHY ARE YOU NAKED?!"

The human on Inuyasha's left sat up and attempted to hide himself. "Yeah, about that…"

Kikyo shushed the trio before her. Her face felt like it was on fire, she was blushing so hard. She spun on her heel and began to open the basket in her shaking hands. "Why don't you tell me what you're doing split – _again_. Is this what happened before?" She set the basket down on the ground once she had what she was looking for out. "Here – you left these in Sango and Miroku's hut at some point." She barely turned her head at movement to her right to see the youkai form of Inuyasha standing before her, naked as the day he was born and not bothering to hide himself.

Her eyes _might_ have looked down.

Twice.

She saw enough to wonder how Kagome managed to walk, much less understand why she was disappointed that he wouldn't even kiss her lately.

Youkai Inuyasha took the bundle of clothes from the blushing woman and chucked everything but the boxers at the human sitting on the ground. He didn't have a problem going without, but out of begrudging respect for the woman's peace of mind he still stepped into them. _'How the hanyou thought he had any feelings for this woman I'll never know. She's too…prim. No spark like our mate.'_

Human Inuyasha made quicker work getting dressed than the youkai did. They still had awkward moments around each other even now. He really didn't wan to add her staring at him naked as another one. Not to mention once Kagome found out she'd seen – oh fuck. He swore under his breath and jerked the denim up over his hips. Kagome was gonna kill him. Them. Something like that. She was gonna be pissed – that much he was sure of. "This could've been avoided if you'd just listened to us in the first place," he grunted at the hanyou as he – carefully – zipped the jeans.

"I'm supposed to listen to you two?!" Inuyasha scoffed, rising up on shaky legs. "A human side who blurts out our innermost thoughts, and a youkai side whose thought process jumps between fighting or fucking? Like hell – I'm doing just fine!"

Kikyo stepped close to the hanyou and grabbed his arm to steady him when he started to sway. "Clearly, you are not." She leveled him with a look before he could object. "You need to fix this."

"Yeah, no shit." Youkai Inuyasha grumbled.

"I said _shhh_!" she hissed, not looking at the youkai. If she had, she'd have seen that his expression showed all kinds of being overly offended at her comment. "Whatever prompted – _this_ again – you need to find the solution. You need to talk to Kagome _and tell her the truth_. So help me Inuyasha I will throw you down that well myself if you argue with me on this."

"Considering that you shot us to Goshinboku I believe it," the human commented.

Youkai Inuyasha grunted, still displeased at being silenced by a miko, and stretched his limbs. "Don't have to tell me twice, Kikyo," he grinned.

"I don't like that look," Inuyasha frowned. He'd seen it too many times before when they first split. He knew that asshole was up to something. He was always up to something.

"Good. You can stand here with your thumb up your ass with the humans. I have work to do."

The hanyou should've known. Should've anticipated it. so really, when his youkai side took off in a sprint towards the direction of the well, his shouting "Get back here, you asshole!" was gonna fall of deaf ears.

Selectively deaf, fuzzy ears.

"Kagome needs me!" was the gleeful response as he disappeared within the trees.

Human Inuyasha turned back to look at the hanyou. "That did no good whatsoever y-"

"Yeah, yeah…I know," Inuyasha groaned, running a hand down his face. Fucking hell, he wasn't planning to go to the future for a while still, but now… "Kikyo, you gonna be okay to get back to the village on your own?"

"Of course," she replied, frowning at the question. "I'm not an invalid. You're not going to eat the lunch that Kaede made?"

"Can't. I gotta go stop the youkai. Whatever he's up to I can't let him spill the beans to Kagome before I can explain."

Kikyo nodded, stooping to collect the basket. The food wouldn't go to waste, but she was still irritated that she carted it all the way out here for nothing. She was sure that the kitsune would be more than happy to polish it off. A sudden yelp had her looking up to see the human Inuyasha being slung over the hanyou's shoulder.

"Hey! Hey! No boxers, remember!"

"Not my problem."

"Better make it your problem, cause that's _all_ the youkai's wearing."

"… _Fuck_."

Before Kikyo could ask Inuyasha what she was supposed to tell the others, he was gone. Human Inuyasha could be heard even after they disappeared, yelling about being bounced around like a sack of rice on a mule's cart going down a bumpy road. She shook her head and sighed, turning to start back down the path to the main village road.

This was turning into one hell of a day.

* * *

"I'm gonna do some homework," Kagome said as she reached the top of the staircase. The tonic that Kikyo had mixed for her back in the village had helped with her headache, but she was still left with the empty feeling of being rejected by Inuyasha. But then, he hadn't _outright_ rejected her, had he? No, he hadn't. Even Kikyo was assuring her that wasn't the case. She felt guilty that she'd cried on the woman's shoulder on the walk to the well. Kikyo had gotten put through the ringer and had little to show for it. For her to sob about how the former miko's failed relationship starter wasn't giving his bride affection felt really…scummy.

She sighed as she shut her door, locking it for good measure. Souta wasn't home but sure as the sun was hot, he'd bust in her room with some inane question if she didn't. The stack of work on her desk didn't look the least bit appealing, even if taking care of it right then would give her more free time.

" _Of course not,_ " her thoughts intruded. " _You want something_ hard _alright_ … _and math isn't it_."

Kagome groaned. Of course the horny side of her mind would be the side to chime in. She was hoping that logic would convince her to tackle the homework, but instead she got… _'Not gonna happen, Peaches.'_ Why she nicknamed her libido Peaches was beyond her. _'Inuyasha's seen to that.'_

If Peaches had a form she'd have shrugged. " _So? You're a big girl. You know how to take care of yourself_."

' _Are you suggesting –'_

" _Damn right I am_!" Peaches said proudly. " _You know your body better than anyone. You know just how to make that kitty purr_ –"

Kagome let out a squeak as her face heated up. She couldn't deny that she'd indulged herself on more than one occasion, but to hear her thoughts put it that way – it sounded like she was insatiable! Well…maybe that wasn't _too_ far off lately.

" _You know you want it_ ," Peaches goaded. " _Treat yourself to a screaming o-"_

' _Maybe if I was home alone.'_ She shut that idea down quick. _'Although…maybe a little release wouldn't be a bad thing?'_ That big bed _did_ look intriguing, and god knows she had enough memories in it to file through for inspiration. Kagome stopped at the side of her bed and chewed her lip in thought. _'I…I can't do this. Inuyasha will smell it if I –_ '

" _And he should!"_ Peaches said firmly. " _He needs to know that he's left you wanting! Let him smell that you took matters into your own hands!"_

' _But what is he gonna say?'_

" _He can't say anything! He can't deny you and not expect you to do without! At least you're not looking elsewhere to get off. It's by your own hand, which I need to remind you, you had before his cock."_ Peach's voice seemed to deflate as it sunk in. " _I mean yeah…it doesn't compare to that good stretch…or how well he fills you with each thrust…but it's scratching that horny itch!_ "

* * *

Youkai Inuyasha watched with fascination as Kagome paced around her room, mumbling to herself. He'd crawled in through the window to find the room empty. Then he'd heard her in the hallway announce that she was going to her room to work. In a panic he'd ducked into the closet _just_ before the doorknob turned. Couldn't risk her asking questions yet, but then it hit him that she'd locked the door and he was trapped in the closet. He had been seconds away from searching for pants – she'd created a whole section for his modern clothes – when he heard a soft sigh. The youkai cracked open the door the tiniest amount, a grin spreading across his face.

Oh, this was interesting indeed.

Kagome was laying back against the pillows in an enticingly short pair of shorts and camisole. Her bra had been discarded on the floor, giving one hand the ability to push the strap of her top off her shoulder to palm the breast without restraint. The other hand…

His cock strained against the tight fabric of the boxers as he watched that other hand move under the waistband of those shorts. He didn't need to see that she was already wet. Kagome's spicy scent permeated the air, not to mention the wave of arousal that he felt in their bond. Youkai Inuyasha bit down on his lip so that he wouldn't be tempted to groan at the sight.

She couldn't know that he was here. Not…not yet anyway. For now he wanted to see how far she'd go, what she'd do, letting his hand lazily stroke his length as he watched.

His mate was in need, and watching her touch herself made him want to kick the hanyou's ass. It was one thing if she did it to tempt him – and by the gods was she ever – but this wasn't temptation. It was desperation. The hanyou had been neglecting her, and it was obvious it had reached a tipping point. Seeing her squirm beneath her own touch – fuck it was a turn on – but it also made him want to help. Give her more satisfaction than her fingers could provide. At the very least answer her calls for him.

Slowly, he turned the knob on the closet door and stepped out, shutting it as quietly as possible. His mate still hadn't noticed as he approached the bed, her head tossed back against the pillows as the hand in her shorts moved faster.

"Inuyasha…" she whimpered, eyes closed tightly.

"Yes, Kagome?" he tried to keep his voice even, but now that he was right next to her holy fuck did her scent hit him like a blast of reiki. Instead it came out husky, and if she couldn't tell he was turned on from his voice alone, her gaze settling on the large bulge certainly did. She didn't look surprised to see the markings or the red eyes watching her touch herself.

Kagome shook her head and frowned. "Great. Even my fantasies are getting real. I must really be hard up for this if I'm seeing Inuyasha standing here watching me."

"You think this is a dream?" He knelt down and braced his arms on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch her. Not yet. It was starting to become his mantra. The scent of her slick coating her hand and shorts was making him dizzy, and he knew if he looked down he'd see just how damp the black fabric was. It was all he could do not to visibly inhale the scent, but he couldn't help that he did discreetly take a whiff.

That's how he discovered the tears before they fell.

"Of course it's a dream!" she sniffed, one tear rolling down her cheek. "Inuyasha's not here! He's back in the feudal era working on a home he won't even let me see! My own husband doesn't want to touch me…"

Her bottom lip wobbled, and it was the final straw. Youkai Inuyasha moved to perch on the edge of the bed, bracing his arms on either side of Kagome as he leaned in to kiss away the tears. "Trust me, mate," he whispered. "This is anything but a dream. I'm right here, and believe me, I was a fool for shutting you out. I never meant to hurt you, Kagome."

The feel of his lips against her cheeks and across her nose…it _did_ feel real. Kagome blinked away the last of her tears as she looked up at the concerned hanyou above her. He'd let out his youkai side for some reason, but in that moment she didn't care to question it. Inuyasha was here, with her, and he was apologizing. That's all she wanted.

Him leaning in to kiss her lips was even better. After what felt like ages without even a kiss from him, the soft pressure had her reaching up to pull him down to deepen the kiss. She wanted more than just a light brush of his lips, and he was more than happy to oblige. The way his tongue darted past her lips only served as a reminder that she had missed out on much more. Kagome pulled away and looked Inuyasha in the eye. "If you're going to stop, you need to tell me now," she whispered, afraid that if she spoke louder it would break the illusion.

That would be her luck.

Youkai Inuyasha shouldn't have been hurt that she would say that. After all, the hanyou had given her every reason to doubt that he would give her what she needed. She needed assurance now more than anything he could do with his hips, and he fully planned on doing that once he got his message across. He reached down and grasped the hand that had been in her shorts and brought it to his lips. "How could I stop when you've given me such an appetizer?" he purred, grinning at how her face heated up.

She wouldn't have been blushing if she hadn't realized that he'd seen her finger herself, and he took great delight in licking her hand clean while she watched. For extra measure he groaned as he savored her flavor, sucking each finger that had been inside her a little longer than necessary.

Kagome wanted to be upset that he'd crept into her room while she was touching herself. She wanted to yell at him for leaving her on edge for weeks. She wanted…she wanted him to pound into her until her legs went to jelly. With the way that he was looking at her as he licked at her hand, he had every intention of giving her just that. As soon as she got her hand back, she reached down and pulled away the camisole, tossing it across the room. Her hands reached for the waistband of her shorts before he could, because while she wouldn't mind if he shredded an _old pair_ , these were brand new. She got both shorts and panties down to the knee before he took them and pulled them the rest of the way.

Youkai Inuyasha couldn't help himself. It was inappropriate on every level, but this was his mate. He was within his right to hold the bundle of material up and sniff it. He hadn't been able to contain the low growl of appreciation either. "Been thinking about me," he grinned, tossing her bottoms to the floor. His ears picked up that squeak of embarrassment. It was too adorable, but it was his Kagome, and he wouldn't have her any other way.

Well…he could think of a few positions, but otherwise…

The boxers were the last piece of clothing to hit the floor, and he had to take care to not shred those. He still wasn't sure where the other clothes were in the closet, and the human was back in the feudal era with the pants. Shit – that was right – he had no time. He just knew that they would follow him, and if he didn't give Kagome the release she needed before they intervened… He wondered if she'd let him make it to the ground before she started using the beads. A pissed off Kagome was one thing. A horny and deprived Kagome that was pissed off was a hundred times worse.

He wanted to taste her, lick her thighs of the slick that had trailed down them, but there was no time. The youkai had to settle for one good swipe with his tongue through her folds. It was going to have to be enough this time, and if things didn't blow up in his face, maybe he could make it up to her. She was certainly wet enough already that it wouldn't be a problem. "I'd ask if you're ready for me, but that would be wasting time," he teased, lining the tip of his cock up with her opening. Youkai Inuyasha didn't wait for her to respond before he buried himself to the hilt and let out a low groan at the feel of her wet heat surrounding him. Fuck, he'd missed this!

Kagome's head rolled back at the familiar feel of him filling her. Peaches was right – nothing compared to this! Feeling his hands grab her hips and lift her butt had her looking back at him, and the quick thrust at the new angle had her slapping her hand over her mouth to muffle the moans. Oh gods, he'd gone deep with that one. Another thrust and she deliberately squeezed him, tearing a hiss from his lips.

"Mate?" he gasped, when she did it again.

"Not…home alone," she whispered. "Have to…be quiet." How – with the way he was pushing into her and rubbing against her clit with each thrust – she had no idea. She'd be amazed if her mom didn't hear them at some point.

Youkai Inuyasha paused, ears flicking back to listen intently for any approaching sounds. Shit, he didn't think about the family being home when he went balls-deep. He wasn't really thinking about anything. But…he only heard one set of feet downstairs. Mama's. The old man must have been elsewhere on the shrine grounds, and he hadn't heard her little brother once since he entered the house. He shifted, sitting back on his knees and bringing Kagome to straddle his lap, still buried within her. "Then we should be quick," he whispered into her ear when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "If we draw this out I _will_ have you screaming."

Kagome couldn't help the shiver as his breath tickled her ear, nor the way she squeezed him again as his tongue darted out to trace the mark on her shoulder. Oh yes – she'd definitely missed him touching her there too. It had that lovely effect of sending waves of pleasure right to her core. "Please, Inuyasha…"

The youkai adjusted his hold, bringing each of her legs to hang against the crook of his arms before gripping her ass firmly. "Hold on to me," he growled, before slamming into her again.

"Oh god," she moaned, burying her neck into his shoulder. This wasn't a new position, but the way he was holding her – she had no movement. There was nothing she could do but to hang on and squeeze him as he thrust up into her at an alarming speed. She could feel the way his claws dug into her skin, even with the pads of his fingers gripping her tightly, she almost expected to see pin pricks left behind.

She'd wear them with pride, no matter how guilty he'd feel later.

Youkai Inuyasha could feel how with each thrust that Kagome was getting closer. He'd missed this so much that as soon as he got the hanyou alone he was _definitely_ going to kick his ass. How he thought that denying their mate this pleasure was a good idea he'd never understand. Fuck – he was on the brink and about to blow! His stamina and manhood were taking a hit because of this forced abstinence, but given the way that Kagome was whimpering against him, she didn't care. She needed this. Well…she needed much more than just the fucking, anyway. "Kagome," he called. "Look at me."

Kagome had a hard time leaning back to meet his eyes. She was so far gone, so close to the edge, and he wanted her to look at him? Why? She was _right there_ , and he wanted to talk? Now? "Inu…yasha?"

He pressed his forehead to hers, caressing her skin that he knew he'd marked, as he took his pace down to shallow thrusts. "I love you," he murmured, watching as the words sunk in. Kagome's eyes lit up and the smile she gave him made his heart ache. Three little words should not have had as much of an impact on her as they did in that moment. He captured her lips in a deep kiss as his thrusts increased again. There was no way he was going to be able to keep her quiet when she came, and with the way she was squeezing him on each thrust, he wasn't going to be able to keep quiet either.

Somewhere along the line Kagome would have to apologize for the marks her nails left in Inuyasha's shoulders. The rush of her orgasm hitting her, however, had her forgetting everything but the feel of being in his arms. The way he squeezed her to him as he filled her with his release. How he growled against her lips as his motions became staggered before he stilled. He gently lowered her legs to straddle his once more, but he didn't let her move away even after he slipped out of her. That was fine by her; she didn't think she could move if she wanted to.

Youkai Inuyasha buried his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent, satisfied that once more his scent was on her and in her. _'Just as it should be,'_ he thought, dropping a soft kiss to her shoulder. Everything felt as it should. They were both spent, satisfied, and content to not move for the foreseeable future. A low rumble escaped his lips when he felt Kagome's fingers reach up to rub his ears. What was it he had been worried about before...?

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Oh. That.

The sudden shout had both of them looking towards the window. The youkai looked more annoyed, but Kagome was alarmed. That voice was so familiar, but it didn't make sense! How – her eyes shifted back and forth between where she sat in Inuyasha's lap to the window…where Inuyasha was jumping through… along with his human form…

"What the fuck are you doing?" the hanyou repeated in a frightening growl.

He was _pissed_.


	4. Chapter 4

"I said – what _the fuck_ are you doing?"

Human Inuyasha took a step back into the side of the desk. That tone, that growl…that wasn't normal, even for the youkai that was currently sitting on the bed. And from the alarmed look on his face, he knew it too.

Youkai Inuyasha slipped out of Kagome's embrace and stood, placing himself between the hanyou and their mate. "You know exactly what we were doing," he said calmly. He made a point of putting emphasis on the "we" in that statement to let the hanyou know that he in no way put Kagome up to anything she didn't want. He knew the hanyou was dense at times – fuck even he had his moments – but he had to know that he'd never force her into sex, right? The snarl that came from the hanyou immediately after suggested otherwise, or at least that he didn't care to hear it. "Right now though, I think you need to calm down, Hanyou."

That was another misstep.

"Calm down? Calm down?! You fucker!" Inuyasha snapped, reaching out to grab the youkai. He may have been split three ways but he was still capable of seeing red and right then he wanted to rip anything off his youkai side that dangled. The youkai _knew_ he shouldn't have touched Kagome, yet he did it anyway, and now he had the balls to tell _him_ to calm down?

What followed was bizarre, to put it bluntly. The youkai made use of every available space in the room to evade the hanyou. Inuyasha looked as though he were one step away from destroying the bedroom. All the while, Kagome sat on the bed trying to call out to the pair to get them to stop and find out what was going on.

The human by the desk dodged the chase and helped Kagome from the bed, shaking his head at her when she tried to ask him what happened to cause the split again. This wasn't his place to tell, and he knew the youkai wouldn't have said…even if he did go against Inuyasha's wishes. He also knew that they wouldn't hurt her in the pursuit, but he still stood between her and them as she dressed in fresh clothes in front of the closet. Just because they wouldn't hurt Kagome didn't mean that there wasn't a chance that one of them would use something as a projectile. Better to be safe than sorry.

Or sat.

Inuyasha finally caught the youkai by the hair, jerking him backwards hard. Youkai Inuyasha reached behind and grabbed the shoulder of the fire rat, and with a roar he lifted the hanyou overhead and pinned him to the floor. Inuyasha fought the whole time, but the youkai had a knee between his shoulder blades and his arms had been twisted backwards in a painful grip. Between the two of them, it was getting harder to tell who was snarling and spitting more. "Let me go so I can kill you."

Youkai Inuyasha leaned down and hissed in the hanyou's ear. "You listen to me. I never told Kagome anything."

The struggling persisted until his words sunk in. Not that it mattered, but that was a small bit of relief. "You still slept with her – after everything!"

"Yes and if you'll act normal I'll explain, jackass." Youkai Inuyasha wasn't about to let the hanyou loose until he agreed. Moments passed before Inuyasha mumbled "fine" and he slowly released his hold. The youkai crossed his arms as Inuyasha stood, still glaring. "You can glare at me all you want but that won't change the fact that I did nothing wrong."

The hanyou blinked and sputtered. Fucking hell, he was going to have one of those stroke things Kagome'd talked about once. Or at least rupture something. He was pretty sure his left eye was beginning to twitch. "Nothing wrong?" he hissed. "You went against me! You slept with Kagome, _knowing_ what we know! What if she gets pupped? Did you think about that?"

"I have faith in our mate's medicine," the youkai retorted. "I trust that Kagome has faith in it, but apparently you do not. If she were to carry our pup, I would cherish it and her. Care for her, just like I should. We'd find a way to make it work. I'm not about to abandon Kagome because I'm scared!"

"Abandon? Where the fuck did –"

"No," Youkai Inuyasha cut him off. "You don't get to talk. You're going to listen for once in your goddamn life. Obviously what Kikyo told you went out your fucking ears, so let me make it simple: You're being an asshole. By shutting Kagome out, she thinks she's upset you. She thinks she's done something to make you not want to even kiss her. When I came here, do you know what I saw? She was pleasuring herself because _you_ weren't around to see to her needs. She wants _you_. She was calling out for _you_.

When she saw me standing next to the bed, do you know what happened then, Hanyou? She _cried_. She cried because she thought it was a fucking _dream_ , since you haven't shown any interest in even kissing her recently. So yes, I gave our mate what she needed. I kissed away her tears. I apologized to her for being wrong. I gave her the pleasure that she'd been aching for. I told her that I love her, because I'm her mate and I mean it. You didn't see her eyes, Hanyou. She looked so heartbroken. If I didn't know better, I would think that she thinks that you no longer love her."

Inuyasha felt his chest constrict. Kagome couldn't possibly – could she? There was no teasing in the youkai's tone, and for once he really wished he had been. He looked past the youkai to see Kagome pulling on a t-shirt. His human side opened his arms to her, and she slipped into his embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck. The look the human shot him – it wasn't as lethal but still didn't look happy. At least with his human side he got some understanding, even if he was in the wrong on this. Inuyasha swore softly under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

This was not how he planned on telling Kagome the truth.

"Kagome," he called out softly. "I can explain." He knew not to say the words "we need to talk" from past experience. The first time he'd said them to her without immediately following up with the reason she'd sat him. Repeatedly. It was safer _not_ to start a conversation like that.

Human Inuyasha let out a sigh when the hanyou spoke. Finally, the youkai had gotten through to him. Now if Kagome could, maybe they'd go back to normal? He felt her turn in his arms and loosened his hold when she stepped back. When she moved to sit at the edge of the bed, he wanted nothing more than to follow her. Sit with her as the hanyou explained why he was being stupid, offer some kind of comfort. He nearly did if the youkai hadn't subtly jerked his head towards the desk where he stood. The hanyou didn't need them getting in the way right now.

Kagome sat down on the bed, silently bracing herself for whatever Inuyasha was about to tell her. a month of no affection, and then all of a sudden he wanted – Of course. There had to be more to it than she expected. There always was. She couldn't have been lucky enough for it to be a simple thing. That her husband would want to give her affection like she'd craved after being denied even a little kiss. Before he had even said anything she was already feeling a wave of stomach acid creep upwards. Kagome swallowed, saying "Whatever you're about to tell me, Inuyasha… I'm not going to be angry with you."

Inuyasha didn't like the flat tone that came from her as he sat on the floor at her feet. "I wouldn't blame you if you did. I… I screwed up, Kagome." He snorted, waving his arm out behind him at the evidence. "Obviously."

"Can I ask you something first? Why did it take this happening again to tell me?"

"Because I… I'm scared," he mumbled. Inuyasha tucked his hands in his sleeves, letting his claws dig into the skin of his arms. He was not going to avoid this any longer. He couldn't. After what the youkai had told him, Kagome really needed to hear the truth. "I'm scared that I'll get you pupped before you finish school." His ears drooped as he continued, looking at Kagome's feet. He was afraid to meet her eyes. "I want a family with you so bad, but not at the risk of your honor, Kagome. So I thought if I stayed away, I wouldn't be tempted to risk it."

There was a pause as she rolled what he said around in her mind, and it was almost deafening in the room while he waited for her response. Inuyasha used his nose to tell if she was upset before he even dared look up. He'd smelled the faint scent of tears, but that was earlier, when she thought…

"That's it?" Her expression wasn't sad, or even angry like he expected. She looked puzzled. "I told you about the birth control. Why? You were fine months ago. What brought this on?"

Inuyasha hesitated, and it was his youkai side that answered. "You can blame that damn flea for putting it in the hanyou's head that being the son of the daiyoukai means that his seed is highly potent. Thinks that it's stronger than what your modern herbs are capable of doing."

"And what did _you do_?" said hanyou barked, turning his head to glare at the youkai. "You went and – and did what you did to Kagome! After I told you –"

Kagome reached out, slipping her hands under the sleeves of the firerat to grab his hands. She'd seen the movement under the fabric and wasn't surprised to see a faint trace of blood across the tips of his claws. She didn't admonish him for hurting himself; he'd just say that he'd heal in a few minutes anyway. Instead she reached for the folded handkerchief on her nightstand and silently wiped at his claws. "I've been taking this birth control for a long time," she pointed out. "I haven't gotten pregnant yet, have I?"

His cheeks heated at the unspoken words. They'd been…enthusiastic was putting it lightly…since they marked each other and formed the bond. "N-no, but –"

"I get why you're nervous, Inuyasha…but it's okay." Kagome debated trying to explain that it would still take some time for the effects of the pill to get through her system, but she knew it would only confuse him. "If…if something _were_ to happen, we'd figure it out." The idea of getting pregnant before graduation was not one she was excited about, but there was no way in hell that she'd let Inuyasha take the blame all on himself if it did happen. Though, depending on when, if it did happen she wouldn't have to worry about the bump being an issue for her uniform…

"See?" the human said from his spot at the desk. "That's what we've been trying to tell you! Why of all times you decided to listen to Myoga I'll never know!"

" _I stand corrected,"_ Peaches huffed. _"If there's anyone to be angry with, it's that flea. We could've gotten pounded seven ways from Sunday a lot sooner if it wasn't for him!"_

Kagome shook her head to chase away Peaches' thoughts. Her horny side needed to stop. She'd gotten her playtime, there was no reason for her to chime in with her opinion. After the rumble she'd had with the youkai earlier she should've been sated, but apparently not. "Why didn't you come talk to me about this sooner?"

"Thought you'd be angry with me," he shrugged. "I… I did come here once to talk about it, but you were at school, and…" Fucking hellfire in his ass, this was about to get really awkward. "I wanted to talk to Mama about this, but she wasn't here and…I ended up talking to the old man."

' _Oh. Oh no._ ' Kagome bit her lip as the realization that her husband had gone to her grandfather to ask a sex question sunk in. ' _I can't laugh._ ' No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't – but it was so damn funny! Deep breaths through the nose wasn't working to stave off the giggles, though he probably thought she was trying not to blow up at him. She tried not looking directly at Inuyasha. All that ended up doing was making eye contact with either his human or youkai sides, and before she could stop it she let out a snort. His frown deepened as his cheeks began to redden. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, but it _is_ kinda funny. What did Grandpa say?"

' _At least the old man didn't laugh._ ' Grandpa had treated his questions just like Kaede would have if it had been about medicine in his time. Inuyasha felt like even his ears were hot as Kagome tried to quell her laughter. It was embarrassing, but maybe later he'd see the humor in it.

Maybe with Miroku in his place instead, asking the awkward questions. Yeah, that'd be funny.

"He said that the only surefire way to prevent it was to not. He didn't have anything bad to say against those things you take, but with what Myoga said…"

All of the amusement of the situation left her when his ears drooped low. "You were worried it wouldn't be enough." His small nod made her heart ache. "Oh Inuyasha," she sighed. How was she supposed to get it through to him? "It really is going to be okay. If you wanted to, we could try other things as an extra measure of protection?"

Inuyasha wasn't sure what she meant by extra protection, but he still couldn't be certain. "I… I don't know, Kagome…"

"Then, do you… not want to?" The way his head bobbed made her stomach sink. She wasn't trying to guilt him or anything. She wasn't going to fight with him on this. If he really didn't want to touch her for however long, she'd respect his wishes. She wasn't going to be selfish about this. The "oh" that followed moments later must have told him of her disappointment in his response, because his head snapped up to look at her.

"I _want_ to, Kagome! Believe me!" Inuyasha took the forgotten handkerchief from her and tossed it on the bed, squeezing her hands in his. That look, the way her scent was quickly changing – the youkai was right, and he had to fix this and fast. He couldn't bear the thought that she might think he'd changed his mind about them. "Kagome, I love you – with all of my heart and soul. I want… I want so much, but I don't trust myself. It never had anything to do with you, Kagome. You didn't do anything wrong. I never meant to hurt you."

He knew that pulling her into his lap was going against what he was trying to say he couldn't do, but fuck it. He couldn't handle seeing her cry. Kagome let herself be pulled into his arms as he held her close to his chest as she cried into his shoulder. Inuyasha's ears lowered as her tears turned to sobs, but it was the broken words that the youkai had told him earlier that broke his heart.

" _If I didn't know better, I would think that she thinks that you no longer love her."_

All he could do was hold tighter to Kagome and whisper how sorry he was, repeating that he did very much love her.

Kagome thought that she was done crying. Between crying to Kikyo, then the youkai, and now Inuyasha… she was amazed she had any tears left to fall. It wasn't even that he said that he _never_ wanted to initiate physical contact, anyway. No, what had did the waterworks in this time was that he'd told her he loved her – just like the youkai had. They were tears of relief, knowing that her dark thoughts weren't as founded as they were trying to make her believe. It was a wave of comfort to know that his feelings hadn't changed, that her fear that had cut her so deeply was being healed.

It bothered her that these thoughts were worse than even the ones she had years ago, when she thought that he would choose Kikyo over her in the end. She knew differently now, of course. Kikyo had no interest in her husband. Could these thoughts have been blown out of proportion because of their link? Had they been feeding off of each other's insecurities this whole time?

Kagome felt additional touches around her, and she lifted her head to see that Inuyasha's human side was pressed against her back. Youkai Inuyasha had dropped to his knees and laid his head on her thighs. Even the hanyou that held her was creating a rumble within his chest to soothe her.

If she wasn't convinced that Inuyasha loved her then, she really was a fool.

She shifted in the embrace to wipe her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. Maybe she was a fool. After all, who goes without sex for a month and immediately jumps to the conclusion that her husband doesn't love her anymore? Inuyasha hadn't even given any indication that he had wandering eyes; he was too loyal to do that anyway. She sighed, reminding herself that this wasn't a modern man she was bound to. This was a hanyou from centuries ago who balked at the mention of infidelity. Even if he was split into three parts currently. Kagome gave another sniff and absently reached down to rub the youkai's ears. If he was going to lay in her lap she was gonna play with them.

"Can I ask why you split again?" she said at last.

The rumbling against her chest stopped but the youkai in her lap didn't hesitate to start as she caressed the furry appendages. Inuyasha frowned, more at the youkai who was eating up the attention than at her. "It's because of these two assholes," he said finally. "They were in agreement that I was being stupid by avoiding you."

Human Inuyasha shifted and dropped his chin on Kagome's shoulder, slipping his arms around her waist. "The only reason we bitched at you was _because_ you were avoiding Kagome entirely," he pointed out. "All because you're a chicken shit about the _tiniest_ possibility of getting her pregnant."

Kagome tried not to shiver as his breath tickled her ear when he talked. _'Not the time,'_ she reminded herself. _'Definitely not the time.'_ She swallowed, trying to stay focused on the conversation. "I guess Myoga's to blame for that, or is it Grandpa?"

"N-neither. It's me," Inuyasha admitted. "No one ever said to stay away from you, Kagome. That was all my fault. Even…even Kikyo yelled at me about it."

"She did?"

"Oh yes," Youkai Inuyasha grinned up at her. "It was delightful. Backed the hanyou up into the framing of the hut and gave him an earful on your behalf."

Human Inuyasha snickered. "You've successfully got her to say she's your friend, Kagome. All it took was the hanyou being an idiot."

A small part of her wanted to give the other woman a high five when she got back to the past, but she was still trying to understand. "This doesn't explain why you split."

"Go ahead Hanyou, tell Kagome why we're here in this proverbial dog pile."

Inuyasha glared down at the youkai. "I'd think _your_ actions earlier should've said it all."

"Our mate needed attention and it didn't sit right with me to stand there and watch her do it herself when I was perfectly capable –"

Kagome squeaked and tried to cover her face, but the human behind her grabbed her hands. "Oh really?" he teased, dropping a kiss to her shoulder. Human Inuyasha could only grin as she huffed in response.

The hanyou and the youkai continued to argue over whether what he did was right or not, and Kagome just wanted to disappear. It wasn't that Inuyasha _didn't know_ that she'd touched herself in the past, it was the embarrassment of being _caught_ doing it that made her want to hide. Of course – the one time that she decides to just go for it solo is the one time that her husband catches her. It wasn't like he was going to do it anyway – oh shit, did she say that out loud?

Inuyasha's eyebrows nearly hit his hairline as the words fell from her lips. He knew she wasn't mad at him. He was more shocked that she'd said it out loud. "I… I mean… I could've, but…" Was it really necessary to repeat that he was scared that he couldn't control himself?

Kagome took a deep breath before she spoke. "I didn't mean it that way, Inuyasha. I know why – now, anyway. But… I needed you, and you kept turning me away, so… I thought that if you were going out of your way to avoid me, then I'd handle it." Why was she even blushing about this? They were _married_. Bound. Couples talked about this kind of stuff. "Does it….does it bother you?"

"Huh?"

"That I was…you know." The fact that she was struggling to say the words made her wonder if they had gotten in over their heads four months ago. A wave of panic hit her in the chest as the idea set in, and she couldn't let it sit. "Inuyasha, do you think we got ahead of ourselves with the marks? Are we not as ready for this as we thought we were?"

Youkai Inuyasha grunted as the fingers that were stroking his scalp stalled. He blinked and looked up at the hanyou and their mate. Both of them looked concerned, and he had a feeling that one of them was about to suggest that it was a mistake. He was not going to put up with that.

Not again.

"It's no mistake," he said. "We were meant to be together, Kagome. We decided that it was time then. All this pissing about is nothing more than your emotions feeding off of each other and making things worse. The hanyou is worried that he can't control his dick if he so much as sees your thighs in that skirt and the talk about getting you pupped only made it worse. That's why we split, because the human and I both have more faith in your modern herbs than that damn flea. He doesn't know as much as he thinks he does."

Human Inuyasha nodded. "Youkai's right. Especially about the skirt. The color suits you rather well. Makes it hard to think when all I can think about is having those legs wrapped around me –"

"As I was saying," Youkai Inuyasha cut in. "We're still in the early stages of being bound, Kagome. It's normal to feel like this. We never did properly court all those years we've known each other. Given enough time I'll have you divulging all your dirtiest fantasies to me, mate."

Inuyasha groaned. Some days he couldn't decide which side of him was more in need of an ass kicking. Both his human and youkai sides were currently tied for the title of who could run their mouth more. "Kagome… I… you know I suck at talking, but if… if this is something we should talk about, I'll try. As off color as my youkai side was, he was right. I don't want you to think we got in over our heads because we're not used to talking about this stuff."

"We're okay, otherwise?" she asked. Kagome was fine with trying, so long as it meant that he didn't think they'd made a mistake either. When Inuyasha nodded that time she breathed a sigh of relief. "So… you split because your youkai and human sides were tired of doing without?" Another, albeit slower nod with his face beginning to turn red again. "We don't have to talk about everything immediately, Inuyasha," she assured him. "We don't even have to force it. It can happen when it happens."

The hanyou was relieved that Kagome was calmer now. Yeah, he sucked even talking about his feelings, but more intimate stuff between them? That was out of his reach at the moment. That didn't mean he wouldn't try for her though. He'd do anything for Kagome if it meant she wouldn't cry. At least for the moment, anything he felt comfortable doing. "I…" he started, frowning. "Kagome, I… I can't… I can't let myself get carried away right now. Not until you've finished school. I'm sorry, but I can't give you what you need in that way."

Kagome chewed her lip. She understood what Inuyasha was trying to say. He wanted to hold off on sex until she graduated. That was understandable. "Can I at least kiss you?" she asked softly. "Or is that too much? I don't want to push you if you don't want to even do th-" She let out a small mewl against his lips. It was only a simple kiss, but she didn't care. She just needed that little assurance that Inuyasha still wanted her. If little kisses was all that she could get until graduation she'd be satisfied.

Peaches, however, would be pissed.

Inuyasha pulled back, pressing his forehead to hers. "Maybe…maybe once you're closer to finishing school I can relax," he offered. "But right now, as much as I hate saying it, I can't risk you getting pupped, so I think it's best if we don't have sex." There. That wasn't so hard. He'd talked about intimacy. Kagome wasn't upset either; he couldn't find a trace of sadness in her scent.

Kagome was just about to tell him that she understood, but the sudden " _WHAT?!"_ from behind her had her ears ringing. She had no idea that Human Inuyasha could hit such a high note. Never in a million years would she have guessed that he could hit soprano-level volume.

Youkai Inuyasha scowled up from his position in Kagome's lap. "Fucks sake, Human. You think you could squeal a little louder? I don't think the entirety of Japan heard you that time!"

"What are you getting pissy about! You got lucky!"

"I'm getting pissy because my ears are bleeding!"

"They're not bleeding," Kagome interjected.

"They feel like it!"

"You're such a baby," Human Inuyasha scoffed.

"Rub my ears, Kagome? The insensitive human made them hurt."

"See? You're a baby."

Inuyasha took a deep breath as the two sides continued to argue. Kagome was trying to pacify the both of them, but he knew it was a losing battle. "I said what I said," he ground out.

"Doesn't mean we have to like it," Youkai Inuyasha commented. Kagome had stared to rub his ears again, and in that moment that's all he needed. Then again, the human was right and he _had_ gotten more than just an ear rub, so that might've had something to do with it.

Kagome looked at each of them. "You said that you split because your youkai and human sides had a different opinion about us being intimate?" she ventured, carefully choosing her next words. "Does it go against your choice if your sides did otherwise?"

The hanyou had a feeling he knew what she was hinting at. "The youkai already did it," he grumbled.

"Would that bother you?"

"Kagome, are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" he asked instead.

Her cheeks pinkened and her scent told him what she wasn't saying. Inuyasha sighed. He wondered if he'd have told Kagome in the first place if he'd have even split. Then again, they went against him and forced themselves to split from him _because_ he had been withholding more than just the talk they'd had. The what-ifs were meaningless to worry about now. He'd stuck his foot in it and the consequences were sitting around him.

He knew he didn't stand a chance of keeping an eye on both of them for however long they were split this time, and he had a hut to finish. Maybe…maybe there could be some good to come out of this. He could use the extra sets of hands, even if they were his own…

"Inuyasha?"

"Hanyou, our mate is speaking to you."

He swatted away the youkai's hand that had reached up to poke him in the arm when he was lost in thought. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome and scrambled to piece together what she had last asked him. "I…" Would what bother him? Oh – _oh_. "In a way, it would, but… it's not just my decision, Kagome. I made that mistake once, and look what happened. I think… I think that this is your decision." Would it bother him to know that his youkai or his human side would be giving her what she needed that he refused to? Yes, yes it would. But her being denied entirely bothered him a lot more, and if she wanted affection that they were keen to give her, he'd deal. He'd have to.

The little smile she was trying to hide from him made him grin despite himself. He knew her decision already. It would be worth hearing those two sides of him crow for however long this lasted, so long as she continued to smile. He leaned forward and dropped a chaste kiss to her lips, murmuring that he loved her again. If he was going to try talking about stuff between the more he needed to get comfortable telling her his feelings.

It was a comfortable silence until the youkai spoke again. "What I'm hearing is that you're not going to be mad if I get our mate naked and panting in bed again?"

"Who says you're going to?" Human Inuyasha blurted out.

"You couldn't catch me the first time."

"Excuse you – I was trying not to catch myself in the zipper of these jeans because you took the boxers! _And why are you still naked?!_ "

Kagome blinked, forgetting that Youkai Inuyasha was very much on display as he sat on the floor. He'd turned and reclined on his back at some point, and she was very glad that she'd locked her door earlier. Her brother might not have been home but her mother was, and she'd already gotten a show that time Inuyasha took a bath with Souta. Then she realized what Human Inuyasha had said. "What do you mean he took the boxers? You were in the past? Where did you get modern clothes?"

"Uh….K-Kikyo brought them from Sango and Miroku's hut," the hanyou mumbled. When the youkai began to snicker he punched him in the shoulder.

"So….Kikyo saw you split...?"

"And naked," the youkai laughed.

Inuyasha started to panic at how she'd fallen silent. He knew that she had accepted Kikyo as a friend, but there were some things a friend shouldn't have been privy to see. Sango had even told him that at one point the first time this happened. She'd gotten her fair share of the youkai on display when he shucked the blanket to go hunting that one morning. He was about to apologize again, even though the split had caused him to pass out, he still felt guilty that he hadn't anticipated and done something to conceal himself. It was a stupid thought to have, of course. How the hell was he supposed to know his youkai and human sides would declare mutiny and break free?

But then, Kagome started to laugh. Inuyasha relaxed a little, thankful that she wasn't upset about the ordeal but still just as confused by her reaction. To her credit, she didn't know why the situation was so funny either.

Why she was laughing to the point of tears, she had no idea. Maybe it was the stress of everything catching up to her. Maybe it was the image of Kikyo finding Inuyasha like she had woken up to that morning four months ago. Kagome really couldn't place the reason, but it felt good to laugh. "We'll figure it out," she said again, once she could calm herself. "At least this time the bed doesn't have to be replaced."


End file.
